The Secular vs The Sacred

The Secular vs The Sacred

When you think of words like sacred or secular, what comes to mind and why? Does seeing all things as sacred
or secular change how you respond to those around you? We conclude our Jesus and the Secular series by look
at the topic of Secular vs. The Sacred. Listen as Paul Kiss dives into John 17. Together we lean in and learn
through these passages that God loves the whole world. It’s all sacred to Him.

Secular vs. The Sacred

Speaker: Paul KissDate: June 9, 2019

God loves the whole world. It’s all sacred to Him. References: John 17

1. Is “the world” sacred or secular?

2. Jesus spent most of his time in “the world.”

John 17:1-5; Mark 1-2

3. Jesus wants us to stay in “the world.”

John 17:15

4. Jesus sends his followers into “the world.”

John 17:18-20

5. God loves “the world.”

John 3:16-17; 17:21-26

1. When you think of words like sacred or secular, what comes to mind? Why?2. How do you respond to Paul’s message about looking at “the world” as all sacred, because God made it all and loves it all?3. Read through John 17 together. “The world” is referenced repeatedly. Another common reference is the idea of “oneness” or “unity.” What is the connection between the unity of those who believe in and follow Jesus and “the world?”4. Read John 14:15-21. This ties in with the message last week about doing what we want. As Christians we can do what we want when we’re led the by the Spirit of Christ, because he leads us into those things that please God (Phil. 2:12-13). If the Spirit is with us, within us, how does this affect our view of what is sacred and/or secular?5. Seeing all things as sacred, doesn’t mean that we can do whatever we want, (Rom. 6:1-11). What cautions should we heed as we go out into “this world,” with the mindset that it is all sacred?6. Some people might challenge this idea of all things being sacred. How could you respond to them in loving, meaningful dialogue?

1. Read through Mark’s gospel and compare how much time Jesus spends at the synagogue or the temple in Jerusalem, (sacred places?), and how much time he spends in the villages, the fields, the seashore, etc (secular places?). What do you discover?2. Read the following article from Relevant Magazine: Read here.